Steam-engine.



No. 69!,228. Patented Ian. M, i902.

B. T. ABELL.

STEAM ENGINE.

(Application filed M11! 30; 1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet L No. 69|,228. Patented Ian. M, I902.

R. T. ABELL.

STEAM. ENGINE. (Application filed Mar. ab, 1901.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 69!,228. Patented Ian. l4, I902.

R. T. ABELL.

STEAM ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 30. 1901.) I

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 ModeL) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT T. ABELL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

'STEAM-ENGIN E.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 691,228, dated January 14, 1902.

Application filed March 30,

To all whmn, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT T. ABELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, i n the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference bein ghad to the accompanying drawings.

Theinvention relates to single-actin g steamengines; and the primary objects of the invention are simplicity and cheapness of construction and efficiency and durability in operation.

The invention as shown is embodied in a vertical engine, which is regarded as the preferable form, although obviously the invention is not restricted to this style of engine.

In the drawings, which show two cooperating engines embodying my invention and supported upon the same base, Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section.

It is desirable that two of these engines shall be used in conjunction, and they are preferably set side by side, as shown in the drawings. Theyare precisely alike in construction and are connected with the same crankshaft, substantially as shown.

The following is a description of the construction of each engine, as shown in the drawings. A cylinder A is secured upon a suitable base B, which is preferably hollow. The upper head a of the cylinder serves also as a partition separating the cylinder from the steam-chest O. In fact, as shown, this head is a part of a castingwhich is cored out to form said steam-chest.

A short cylinder D is secured to the head a and projects concentrically into the cylinder A. The piston E is annular and reciprocates in the annular space between the cylinders A and D. The piston has a tubular stem 6, which passes through the lower head of the cylinder and slides in a tubular downward extension a of the lower head a. About midway between its upper and lower ends the stem E has a transverse partition 6, the upper surface of which is convex. In the stem is an annular row of slots 6 whose lower ends are in the plane of the top of said par- 1901. Serial No. 58,654- (ll'o model.)

tition, wherefore any water of condensation lower end of the piston-stem, while the lower end of this rod is connected with a crank-pin on the shaft K. This shaft extends through the hollow base below both engines referred to and is mounted in suitable journals.

The cylinder D serves as a valve-seat, and this is its primary function. It has near its upper end an annular row of inlet-ports d, which are so placed that when they are uncovered they will discharge the steam from the steam chest into the extreme upper end of the cylinder above the piston. In the same cylinder D, near its lowerv end, is an annular row of ports 01', which serve as exhaust-ports. These are covered by the stem of the piston until the piston reaches substantially the lower end of its stroke.

A piston-valve g is movable in the cylinder D and is adapted to cover. or uncover ports d at the proper time.- This valve is part of a double-piston valve G, the upper piston g of which is fitted to and slides in a cylinder M, which projects into the steamchest from the upper end thereof and is placed axially with respect to the cylinder D and is preferably of the same diameter. The two pistons g gare' both annular and are connected by a tubular stem g There is therefore at all times free communication,through the piston-valve G, cylinder D, stem-e, and the slots 6 therein, between the lower end of the cylinder A and the space in the cylinder M above the piston g.

By reason of the described construction this valve Gis a balattached to a rock-shaft R. Another rock-' shaft T is mounted in suitable bearings, and crank-arms r and t, attached, respectively, to these two rock-shafts, are connected by a pitman 15 This arm 15 is connected by a pitman t with an automatic governor of the inertia type, which consists of a weighted arm 'n, suspended concentrically upon the wheel N, to which it is connected by a spring n. This valve-operating mechanism is of familiar construction, wherefore a fuller description is not thought necessary. Any other suitable mechanism may be employed in place thereof. This valveis moved up and down in cylinder D, and in moving down it will uncover to a greater or less extent the ports d, whereby steam will be admitted to the cylinder A above the piston. In moving up the valve first covers said ports and then uncovers them to a greater or less extent, whereby said ports become exhaust ports, through which steam in cylinder A may pass into cylder D. The movement of the valve Gr up and down maybe so timed that steam in the desired quantity may be admitted at the proper time, beginning when the piston B is near the top of its stroke, that the steam will be cut off at the proper time when the piston is nearing the lower end of its stroke, and that the ports 01 shall be opened as exhaust-ports at the proper time when the piston is on its upstroke and shall remain open for the proper time. These matters are well understood in this art, Wherefore any more definite description of the operation of this valve is thought to be unnecessary. As the piston nears the lower end of its stroke the exhaust-ports d are uncovered. Some of the steam escapes through said ports and some through the ports (1. This exhaust-steam enters the cylinder D and passes through the stem einto the cylinder A below the piston, from whence it escapes through the exhaust-pipe P.

The hollow base B, in which the crankshaft K passes and in which the cranks is k thereon are located, may contain oil, in which the cranks will splash, whereby the hearings will be lubricated. Two oppositely-set cranks is k are formed on the shaft K. The bearings Q for this shaft are secured to the sides of the hollow base, and the center bearing Q is secured to the bottom thereof. Each of these bearings has a slotted cap g, which exposes the top side of the shaft, whereby it will be lubricated automatically from the oil splashed in said base. The capsj on the lower ends of the connectingrods J are similarly slotted for the same purpose, and so are the upper ends of said rods.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a steam-engine, in combination, a steam-cylinder, a tubular valve-seat cylinder projecting into the steam-cylinder from one head thereof and having port-openings, a steam chest which is connected with the steam-cylinder through said valve-seat cylinder, an annular'piston, its annular stem, a valve movable in said valve-seat cylinder for covering and uncovering the port-openings therein, and valve-operating mechanism, substantially as specified.

2. In a steam-engine, a steam-cylinder, a steam-chest, acylinder -head which separates the same from the steam'chest, a valve-seat cylinder D secured to said head and projecting into the steam-cylinder, a concentric cylinder M secured to the end of the steam-chest, a valve consisting of two annular heads which are fitted respectively to said two cylinders M and D, and a tubular connecting-stem, valve-operating mechanism, an annular piston, its annular stem, a guide-cylinder projecting downward from the lower head of the steam-cylinder and in which the piston-stem is guided, the cylinder D being provided with port-openings near its upper end which the valve is adapted to cover and uncover, and other port-openings near its other end which will be covered and uncovered by the piston, a crank-shaft and mechanism connecting same with the piston-stem, substantially as described.

3. In a steam engine, in combination, a steam-cylinder, a tubular valve-seat cylinder projecting into the steam-cylinder from one head thereof and having port-openings, a steam chest which is connected with the steam-cylinder through said valve-seat cylinder, an annular piston, its annular stem which has a transverse partition and, above said partition, an annular row of openings, a valve movable in said valve-seat cylinder for coving and uncovering the port-openings therein, and valve-operating mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT 'r. ABELL.

Witnesses:

E. L. THURSTON, ALBERT H. BATES. 

